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Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislature protects Native students' right to wear regalia at school ceremonies
Bella Davis New Mexico In Depth Native American students' right to wear tribal regalia at school ceremonies could soon be enshrined in state law. The House unanimously passed Senate Bill 163 on Wednesday, sending it to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her signature. Students who are enrolled in or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe would be allowed to wear their tribe's traditional clothing and objects of religious or cultural significance, including jewelry, beading and feathers, to important school events, like graduation, without interference from officials. The bill would go into effect immediately so that students graduating this spring are protected. Last year, Farmington High School staff members were recorded confiscating an Indigenous student's beaded graduation cap that had an eagle plume attached, which staff later cut. The video gained national attention and widespread condemnation from tribal and state leaders. Lawmakers this year have heard from other young Native people who had similar experiences at their schools. 'My great grandmother was only able to attend up to the sixth grade, and so when I graduated high school, I shared that accomplishment with her,' Alysia Coriz (Santo Domingo Pueblo), a lobbyist for the nonprofit NM Native Vote, told the House Education Committee last month. 'However, due to restrictions from my high school, I was unable to wear my tribal regalia.' Coriz said she and other students she's talked with were told their regalia was 'distracting and doesn't conform.' But 'our identity is our strength, our culture is our strength,' Coriz told the committee. New Mexico will join over a dozen other states in protecting Native American students' right to wear regalia, assuming Lujan Grisham signs the bill. The Indian Affairs and Public Education departments, which fall under her authority, developed it, according to a spokesperson. This story was originally published by New Mexico In Depth.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Second bill protecting Native regalia at school ceremonies passes committee
A dance group with Owen Padilla await to perform the San Felipe Buffalo Dance at the Santa Fe Indian School Feast Day on Oct. 9, 2023. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM) Following a lengthy discussion about what constitutes 'regalia,' a second bill protecting student's rights to wear tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies passed through committee on Tuesday. Senate Bill 163, co-sponsored by Sen. Benny Shendo (D-Jemez Pueblo), passed unanimously through the Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee; the bill is similar to one on the House side that passed through its first committee Monday. Bill protecting cultural expression at graduation ceremonies passes first committee SB 163 specifically prohibits public schools and charter schools from banning students of federally recognized Indian nations, tribes or pueblos from wearing tribal regalia or items of cultural significance at graduation ceremonies or public school events. 'There's roughly 41,905 Native American students in public schools in New Mexico so this would offer that opportunity for our students to be able to wear their regalia to their graduation ceremonies and other culturally related events,' Josett Monette, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department, said during the meeting. She joined Shendo as his expert witness. 'They could wear the regalia underneath or attached to the cap and gown, but they would still continue to wear the cap and gown.' A group of Native students joined the committee meeting Tuesday to speak in support of the bill, along with multiple representatives from NM Native Vote, ACLU of New Mexico and the Bureau of Indian Education at the Public Education Department. 'My great-grandmother was only able to attend school up until sixth grade, and so when I was able to graduate high school, I was proud to share my accomplishment and walk that stage for her. However, due to restrictions from my school, I was unable to wear my traditional attire,' Alysia Coriz (Santo Domingo Pueblo), lobbyist for NM Native Vote, said to committee members. 'Our traditional clothing is our strength. It helps us to find the connection back to our ancestors and community.' Sen. William Sharer (R-Farmington) questioned who defines regalia and what the term means for different tribes. 'What about other groups? I know this [bill] clearly talks about Native American, but what if somebody wanted to support Christopher Columbus? What if somebody wanted to put a swastika on their head for First Amendment rights,' Shearer asked the bill sponsors. The bill defines 'tribal regalia' as items of religious or cultural significance such as 'tribal symbols, jewelry, beading and feathers.' Sen. Bill Soules (D-Las Cruces) asked about tribes that are not federally recognized, pointing to Tortugas Pueblo in Las Cruces. Monette explained to the committee that the bill is specific to federally recognized tribes, but schools are encouraged to expand their interpretation of the bill and allow members of other groups to express their culture through dress at school ceremonies. SB 163 now heads to the Senate Education Committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill protecting cultural expression at graduation ceremonies passes first committee
A dance group with Elvia Sanchez perform the Hopi Butterfly Dance, at the Santa Fe Indian School Feast Day on Oct. 9, 2023. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM) Native students would be free to wear culturally significant items during school ceremonies under two proposed bills making their way through the Legislature. Co-sponsors Reps. D. Wonda Johnson (D-Rehoboth) and Janelle Anyanonu (D-Albuquerque) presented House Bill 194 to the House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs Committee Monday morning, which unanimously passed the bill. It now heads to the House Education Committee. It is one of the two bills introduced this session to prohibit schools from banning Native American cultural expression at ceremonies. Specifically, HB 194 makes changes to the Public School Code to restrain public, private and charter schools in New Mexico from restricting Native students from wearing culturally significant items during graduation or promotion ceremonies. The bill is a response to incidents in recent years when tribal regalia was banned or removed during graduation ceremonies. A Farmington High School tribal member had her graduation cap confiscated during a ceremony last year. 'It is very important to the people of New Mexico that we be allowed to express ourselves and our heritage and our culture without any resistance and certainly without any punishment,' Anyanonu said during the meeting. Representatives from NM Native Vote, ACLU of New Mexico, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, the Bureau of Indian Education at the Public Education Department and the National Organization for Women all spoke in support of the bill. 'New Mexico thrives off the tourist dollars of our native tribes and pueblos yet steal in educational spaces,' Bernadette Hardy (Jemez Pueblo/Diné), a representative from NM Native Vote, said to committee members. 'Our indigenous youth are denied representation and one of those most important times in their young life.' A similar proposal, Senate Bill 163, will be presented to the Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee Tuesday morning. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
